Softball | May 10
CLEVELAND – Three Huskies on the Northern Illinois University softball team brought home a plethora of postseason All-MAC awards, the league office announced Wednesday.
"Having NIU represented in seven different MAC awards speaks volumes for the direction this program is going," said head NIU coach
Christina Sutcliffe. "This entire program played a role in these three student-athletes' successes. We show up with intent every day and push each other to be the best version of themselves,"
Outfielder
Kiley Conner (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) was named the Freshman Player of the Year, NIU's first since 2016. She also raked in Second Team recognition and All-Freshman team accolades.
Conner capped a booming freshman campaign starting 26 of the Huskies' contests while seeing action in 30. At the plate, Conner batted .363 and belted 29 hits (12 for extra bases) and scored 17 runs. She also batted in 16 runners and swiped nine bags. She ended the season with a bang as she logged back-to-back career-high performances. The right fielder posted a pair of three RBI ballgames in the first two games of the BGSU series at Mary M. Bell Field.
Freshman pitcher
Danielle Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) earned First Team All-MAC distinction and was named to the All-Freshman team.
Stewart was instrumental in NIU's successes this year. The freshman paced the Huskies' pitching staff with a 3.06 ERA in 139.2 innings of work. Opposing batters could only muster a .230 batting average against NIU's ace, the fifth-best mark in the conference. Additionally, her 13 wins in the circle were the fourth-most in the league while her 101 Ks were the ninth-most. One of her many season highlights came when she fanned nine batters, a career-high, in back-to-back games to end NIU's series against Buffalo.
"For Dee Dee [
Danielle Stewart] and Kiley (Conner) to have the early success they had isn't a surprise to our staff. We have a lot of talent in that class of 11 and these two rose up to regional success. Kiley stayed patient on her path of growth and elevated her game at the right time for MAC play. Dee Dee carried us on the mound during conference and led through her composure and desire to win,"
Senior shortstop
Kelly Walinski (Worth, Ill./Marist) is the fifth Huskie in program history to be the Nan Harvey Award recipient. She was also tabbed First Team All-MAC.
A force to be reckoned with at the dish, Walinski ended her final season at NIU with 39 RBI, the fifth-most in the MAC. Her 56 hits, 80 total bases, .354 batting average, and .506 slugging percentage were all team-highs as she started all 51 of NIU's games this season. She rocketed off four home runs this season, including a game-winning grand slam against Western Michigan on April 26.
Academic success is considered when determining the Nan Harvey award winner; the pre-physical therapy major carries a 3.905 GPA.
"Kelly (Walinski) culminated four years of hard work and determination to have a breakout senior year leading our team on and off the field. I am so thankful the rest of the MAC recognized her by awarding her the prestigious Nan Harvey Award."
The Mid-American Conference's description of Nan Harvey: Nan Harvey's dedication and passion for women's sports and the game of softball were shown through her everyday commitment to excellence. She was a part of the University at Buffalo family for over two decades where she helped shape the women's softball, basketball, and volleyball programs. The progression of women's athletics is, no doubt, a tribute to the vision she had. Her hard work and never give up attitude for pushing forward were all self-driven and qualities that cannot be taught or coached.
